From Hideki Irabu to Nick Swisher, in Six Yankees Trades

The late Hideki Irabu pitched three seasons with the Yankees before the team traded him to Montreal in December of 1999. And today, the Platoon Advantage takes a look at whom the Yankees received in that trade, whom those players were traded for, and so on, until they arrive at a member of the team's current roster: Nick Swisher. Follow along here: Jake Westbrook was among the three players the Yankees acquired in the Irabu trade. (One of the others, by the way, was Ted Lilly.) Westbrook was later packaged with Ricky Ledee and two others in the 2000 trade for David Justice. Justice eventually went to the Mets for Robin Ventura, and Ventura was later traded to the Dodgers for Scott Proctor and Bubba Crosby. (We're getting close, we swear!) Proctor would be dealt for Wilson Betemit at the 2007 trade deadline, and Betemit was part of the trade that brought Nick Swisher over from the White Sox prior to the 2009 season. To see all that in easier-to-follow chart form, by the way, click here. [Platoon Advantage via Hardball Talk]